Purchase, NY (Feb. 23, 2019) – The Purchase College baseball team began the season on a high note, defeating The City College of New York, 4-0, on opening day Saturday afternoon.

Starting on the mound for Purchase was Brian Cunningham (SR/Westbury, NY). The veteran pitcher opened action with three strikeouts in the first inning, and continued to shine in the second, collecting all three outs in just four pitches.  

Leading off for the Panthers in the first was Gregory Walsh (SR/Bethpage, NY), who began his senior season with a double over the left fielder's head. He would, however, remain stranded at second as the opposing pitcher would put away the next three batters.
 
The Purchase offense would remain quiet over the next few innings, but its strong pitching and defense kept CCNY scoreless as well.  
 
Purchase would finally break the tie and score their first run of the season in the sixth inning, thanks to walks by Nick Lasala (JR/Massapequa Park, NY) and Patrick Wallace (JR/Manorville, NY), which led to an RBI single by Matthew Nilsen (SO/Bellmore, NY). Nick Tuozzola (SR/Milford, CT) followed with a walk, and with the bases loaded, Tighe Jorgensen (SO/Fairfield, CT) hit into a fielder's choice to bring Wallace home and stretch the Panthers' lead to 2-0.
 
In the seventh inning, Purchase tacked on another run courtesy of Dylan Flynn (SO/Hauppauge, NY). He drew a walk, stole second and later third, and would come home on the same play thanks to an errand throw by the catcher, giving Purchase a 3-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Cody Hennequin (SO/Milford, CT) came in to replace Cunningham and did his job, retiring all three batters he faced, including a strikeout of his own.
 
The pitching dominance would continue into the eighth as John Fitzgerald (JR/Wantagh, NY) replaced Hennequin and went on to strike out the side.
 
The Purchase offense would re-awaken in the top of the 9^th, as the first three batters reached safely thanks to two walks and a well-placed bunt by Walsh. After a strikeout by Flynn, Cunningham drew a walk in his first at-bat of the game which advanced each runner and brought Purchase their fourth run of the game.

Lorenzo Lagares (JR/Jamaica, NY) came in to pitch the final inning and completed the shutout.

Cunningham earned his first win of 2019 and the shutout for PC with his season-debut total of nine strikeouts, four hits and not a single walk over six innings on the mound. 
 
Purchase will be back in action at home next Saturday, (Mar. 2) playing in a doubleheader against John Jay College.